"Ah… that was great!" Ash sighed with contentment, patting his belly. He, along with Dawn, Ray, and Talia, had just stepped out of Indigo Village's most popular restaurant, following the battle between the two young men. The sun was starting to wane in the late afternoon, with shadows stretching across the pavement, and a golden tint coloring Indigo Village.

"I think I'll be good for another few hours," Peeks said, nestling comfortably into the crook of Ash's neck.

"I'll say!" Dawn chirped, linking her hands behind her back. "Even Empoleon liked it."

"And that's with my discerning taste!" The bird squawked.

"I guess that's what you get, with the allure of a Pokémon League! Everyone trying to make end's meet is going to put their best foot forward!" Talia said, smiling brightly.

"I was honestly expecting a lot of upcharged junk," Ray chuckled. "That's usually what happens at tourist traps. But, I'm more than happy to be wrong!"

"Nah. The League is this region's pride and joy!" Ash boasted, thumping a fist against his chest. " 'Course, it would've been a lot better if my mom took over the kitchen again."

"...What?" Collective confusion hung over the rest of the group.

"Never mind," Ash said. "So I guess we'll see you guys later, huh? What're you gonna do, now?"

"Well, I know I'm going to watch the rest of the matches!" Ray said. "I'd love to observe more of what the Pokémon here have to offer, even if I'm no longer competing."

"And of course, we'll be cheering for you in yours!" Talia grinned. "But for now, I think I'm going to spend some time with my Ray~. It's not often that we get to spend this much time together!"

"Oh, yeah! Don't let us hold you up." Dawn giggled. "See you guys later!"

Ray and Talia waved to Ash and Dawn, before walking off arm in arm. This left the duo and their starter Pokémon on their own, pardoning the bustle and chatter of Indigo Village in the late afternoon. A refreshing breeze came through the town, rustling the duo's hair and Peek's ears.

"Ah… so, what now?" Ash asked. "We've got a few hours before we've gotta turn in."

"Oh! When we were eating, I overheard some rumors of a Top Coordinator being at the League!" Dawn gushed, bundling up her fists. "I want to go see if I can see what that's about!"

"Erm…. Actually, I think I'll pass," Ash said, rubbing his neck. "I think I've seen enough fame and spotlight after the last couple of days. You go ahead! I think we're just gonna browse."

"Well, you're gonna have to get used to that sooner or later at the rate you're going, Pokémon Master." Dawn teased, and leaned in to clutch Ash's shoulder, planting a kiss on his lips. "Catch you later!" She backed off, waving before running off to ask questions. Within half a block, she was already pestering some poor soul for rumors.

"Catch you later, Dad!" Empoleon waved, and waddled off after her. "Hey, Mom! Wait for me!"

Ash was glowing from her parting smooch, before a thought hit him. "Hey, wait. How long has he been calling us Mom and Dad?"

"On and off since Sinnoh," Peeks answered. "More often since you two got together. So, where are we headed now, lover boy?"

"I wanna go and grab our team for tomorrow," Ash replied. "Enjoy some time out with them, y'know?"

"Sounds fun to me!"

The Indigo Village town square was the place to be, if you were after cheap junk food, Pokémon Trainer merchandise, and merriment. Booths and kiosks were set up along the streets, lit by colorful flashing lights that looked all the more inviting, with dusk's setting sun.

Ash strolled through the streets with a hand in his pocket, while Peeks and Meema walked alongside him. Garchomp was skulking, hungrily eyeing food held by passersby. The Mach Pokémon almost went for a kid's cotton candy before Ash's palm pressed down upon his head.

"Oh no, you don't." Ash scolded, forcing his mouth shut. "Sorry, kiddo. His stomach's a little bigger than his noggin is," he laughed apologetically.

The startled youth nodded, and then made himself scarce.

"You're not a little Gible anymore y'know," Ash scolded. "You're a grown-up dragon! Show some self control, huh, big guy?"

"Aye, boss. You're right." Garchomp hung his head in shame. "But it looked tasty!"

"We can get you some cotton candy in a minute, just chillax."

Gliscor, meanwhile, hovered above the festivity, partaking in the gentle air currents.

~Forgive me, Leader.~ Meema addressed Ash. ~But, why are we out?~

"I just wanted to enjoy the fresh air and spend some time with you guys before your big match tomorrow," Ash replied. "No sense in everyone sitting in their Poké Balls, y'know? This is your first league; you should feel like you're part of it!"

Meema nodded slowly. ~I suppose that's…~

"C'mon, Meema! It's for fun! You like fun, don't ya?" Garchomp prodded.

"Yeah, Meema!" Gliscor descended, hovering just above the group. "Take a chill pill."

The Zoroark blinked at the sudden influx of attention. She came close to questioning it, but she then recalled what she'd learned on the trip to Rota; in this pack, do as they do. ~Everyone seems to be having… fun. Humans and Pokémon are playing and eating. It's only fitting I do the same.~

"That's the spirit!" Ash cheered, giving her a friendly pat on the mane. "Alright, since Garchomp seems like he's gonna eat someone whole, I'm gonna go get us some snacks. You want any?"

"Am not!"

~I… would like that. I'm going to wander a bit and take in the scenery,~ Meema answered. ~I always took the fanfare of Nimbasa for granted. I would like to not do the same here.~

Ash smiled and nodded. "You got it, Meema." With that, Ash walked off, while the Zoroark went her own way, taking in the multitude of attractions and colorful signs and products.

From a short distance, a Zorua with red markings under her eyes watched the scene closely. She scowled, shook her head, and walked towards one of the booths.

Meanwhile, among the unsuspecting masses, one particular booth operated with ill intent with daring and convincing disguises. One rather large and glitzy stand was set up with a sky blue exterior, a desk up front, and a Zorua's face plastered over the top of the counter visible to the public. A dark red curtain colored like Zorua's head tuft led to a backroom, just out of the public's reach.

Behind the curtain, a quartet of misfits were dressed up like Pokémon Breeders; or, at least an approximation of them. Jessie, James, and Wobuffet all wore sky blue t-shirts, with a Zorua printed on them. Jessie wore her hair tied back in a bun, and James had his in a ponytail. Meowth had reprised his Zorua onesie from their latest successful scheme. The two humans had faux leather belts equipped with scissors, brushes, and the like.

Jessie was currently looking through a high tech scope, poking through a hole in the wall to observe the nearby streets. Hapless trainers and their unsuspecting Pokémon wandered and engaged in merriment. "What a clueless crowd, foolish indeed."

James coolly brushed a bang out of his face. "With a bit of convincing, they'll follow our lead."

"Bringing the sharp eye of Poké-evaluation into the future!"

"Stroking a brush of good caretaking onto the black darkness of the universe!"

"Bringin' our A-game to the Rock of Eternity!"

"The fiery voice of discretion, Jessie!"

"And with a cool and kind demeanor, I'm James!"

"Wisest of the wise, Meowth!"

The trio gathered to strike a pose. "...All together in the name of Team Rocket!"

"Woooobbuffet!"

A palpable silence followed, only broken by a breeze whispering through the booth.

"...Hey, hold on, Meowth! How come your line didn't change!?" James scolded.

"What was it supposed t' be! How 'm I supposed to wordplay with this junk!?" Meowth threw his paws in the air. "Face it! The new motto sucks, when it comes to improvisin'! It's a snoozefest!"

"I agree," James said, folding his arms. "I think the tried-and-true would be best."

"We can't just throw away our new motto!" Jessie barked. "It's a sign of a new age — it's all about brand recognition! Carving a new us into the face of Team Rocket!"

"What brand recognition? No one's even supposed to see us right now," James pointed out.

"...Point taken. Maybe this new motto isn't all it's cracked up to be, after all." Jessie sighed. Her expression was sour; she never liked admitting she was wrong. "Whatever. We can worry about that, later; we have a scheme to complete, and all we need is…" She blinked. "...Zorua?"

"Where did that little mutt go!?" James asked, frantically searching the back of the shop.

"She bettah not've run off on us, or I swear—"

"Zor!" The curtains parted, and Zorua came trotting in, rolling her eyes. "Zor-Zoh."

"Ah, Zorua~!" James clapped his hands together. "I knew you wouldn't abandon me…!"

"Zoooh-r. Rua."

"She says to cool ya jets. She was just takin' a walk," Meowth relayed. "Oh, and she says her name is Slide. Heh, pretty convenient to have a walkin' talkin' Meowth around, don'tcha think?"

"Zor!" Slide grinned, her tail wagging behind her. But immediately afterward, she tilted her head and frowned. "Rua?"

"She's askin' what the plan is, again," Meowth relayed. "She wasn't payin' attention."

Jessie groaned in frustration. "Listen, Slide. I don't know if you're aware, but Team Rocket is a prestigious organization. If you're going to work with us, you have to pull your weight. But since you're new, we'll let it slide, this once."

"Here's the plan," James continued. "At a high-profile event like the Pokémon League, there are lots of high-profile trainers, with high-profile Pokémon. So, we're running a Pokémon Evaluation booth: where we judge, groom, and communicate with the Pokémon to help their trainers bring out their best! And communicating is where you come in, my furry little friend."

"Zor Zorua." Slide nodded. "Zor?"

"Why don't I do the talkin'?" Meowth asked. "Well, there's the thing. We're tryin' to keep a low profile, and I uh… let's just say I gots a notorious criminal reputation goin' for me! So, a talking Meowth will stick out like a sore thumb. You, on th' other hand, are brand new! We haven't trained ya to talk like me yet, so we'll do a little lip syncing."

"And once we've found a Pokémon we really like," Jessie continued, "we'll have you turn into them behind closed doors, and you leave with their trainer instead. Then you can slip away and trot back here later! Easy peasy!"

"We can't afford to steal every Pokémon we come across," James added, "so we're just going to wait for someone exceptional. Quality over quantity! Speaking of…" James walked over to their scope hidden in the wall, peering for targets. "Let's see what we've got here… Oh! There's a rare and valuable-looking Pokémon!"

"What? Let's see!" Jessie insisted, and shuffled through to the front of the booth. James, Meowth, Wobbuffet, and Slide followed.

There was a rather imposing-looking fox wandering around the booths, with charcoal fur and a long crimson mane, pulled into polished blue beads. Her eyes wandered with curiosity, and that drove her steps down the street, not focused on any one thing in particular.

"Oooh, what's that Pokémon!?" Jessie cooed. "It's absolutely gorgeous!"

"Zor! Zoruah," Slide answered.

"Hey! She says it's the evolved form o' Zorua: a Zoroark!"

"An evolved form…!? Oooh, just imagine," James purred. "Another, even rarer and stronger illusory Pokémon! We just have to have them." He cleared his throat. "Hello! Zoroark? Would you come here for a moment, please?" He asked, putting on his best showman's grin.

The Zoroark's ears perked up. She walked towards the booth. ~Yes? Can I help you?~

Team Rocket looked between one another in astonishment. Did she just talk!?

"Er… ahem, yes!" Jessie cooed, rubbing her hands together. "I just wanted to tell you that your hair is absolutely gorgeous! Almost as— ahem, just as beautiful as mine!"

"We were hoping to give you an evaluation," James added. "For a Pokémon like you, at a discount price! Offers like this don't come easy, you know!"

"So, why don'tcha call your trainer over?" Meowth asked. "Toot-sweet?"

~Evaluation…?~ The fox asked, blinking. ~I'm not sure I understand. What a strange request.~

The quartet minus Slide started sweating bullets. She was already catching on!

"Zor!" Slide yipped, smiling. "Zorua, Zor."

A face a lot like hers seemed to soothe the Zoroark. She nodded. ~Very well. I will bring him here.~ With that, the Illusion Fox departed, rushing over to communicate with her trainer. It was someone near the food vendors, seemingly. After a moment of conversing, they both came back in the direction of Team Rocket's booth. Unfortunately, the trainer was a young man in a red cap. One who looked awfully familiar…

"The Twerp!?" Jessie blurted out, fretting.

"Abandon ship. Abandon ship!" James wheezed, lowering his voice to a whisper.

"Zorua!?"

"Don' worry about it! Just move ya muzzle and get 'im to go away for us!" Meowth whispered, sliding under the desk, while Jessie, James, and Wobbuffet all filed into the back.

"Uh… Hello?" Ash asked, sizing up the booth. When he looked at the sign up-top, his smile bloomed. "Aw, cool! A Pokémon Evaluation Booth… And it's got a Zorua!" He laughed, eyeing Slide, whose paws hung over the countertop. "Hey, lil' fella. Are you gonna evaluate my Meema?"

Meowth gently tugged on Slide's tail to synchronize her lip flaps with his voice. So, by all means, from Ash's perspective, Slide was the one talking to him, looking smug as could be.

"Sorry. We don't provide our services to uggos!"

"What!?" Ash flinched, making a face of hurt and betrayal. "Oh, yeah? Well, takes one to know one!" He pouted, looking sour. "C'mon, Peeks, Meema. Let's go."

Peeks gave the fox an odd look, while Ash and the Zoroark walked off.

Jessie, James, and Wobbuffet slipped out from behind the curtain, sliding down to the floor with a collective sigh of relief.

"Zor! Zorua, ruah!?" Slide scolded.

"Cripes! Maybe we shouldn't teach ya how to talk," Meowth balked. "You gotta understand, girlie. That Twoip is on our no-steal-from list! He's been a thorn in our sides for years!"

Slide had no clue that the truth was the other way around. She didn't seem to care, either, rolling her eyes and hopping off the countertop to trot away from their booth.

"Ahem! Excuse me?" A woman's voice drew the attention of the Rockets. A woman who wore her hair in an updo that framed her face with curls and a pencil skirt approached the booth. She was accompanied by an Alakazam. "What is this Pokémon Evaluation Booth? Do you measure a Pokémon's strengths and attributes?"

"All of that and more~!" Jessie cooed, smacking her palms down on the counterpart.

"We'll account for its strengths, learning curve, and even the quality of those glorious mustache hairs~!" James promised, with all the energy of a used car salesman. "We'll just have him speak to our Zorrrr…." He looked about. Zorua seemed to be missing!

"...To our Zorua fanatic, right here!" Meowth volunteered. "Just fork over a measly nominal fee, and we'll tell ya all ya need to know about your brainy bronze bruiser! Capiche?"

"Well, nothing's too good for my Alakazam!" The trainer cooed. "I think I've got enough here…"

While Meowth conducted business at the counter, Jessie and James slipped away to whisper amongst themselves.

"That Zorua is already showing her Team Rocket colors," James huffed. "And not in a good way."

"You caught her," Jessie hissed, "you figure it out!"

"I suppose the best things never do come easy… Well, in the meantime, we'll have to do a bit of honest work."

"I hate honest work… But, at least it's our most consistent route to a profit."

Ash was several paces away, ordering a few of what he called 'kebabs;' something he described as grilled morsels piled together on a stick. It smelled and sounded delicious, begging her attention. But, Meema couldn't quite tear her attention away from the stand they'd just left.

Something felt… uncanny. That Zorua's voice was not a Zorua's. Moments before her Leader had appeared, the merchants had been eager to see her; as soon as they spotted him, they hid. It raised alarms for her, and she lingered halfway between Ash and the others and the booth.

"The hell's the matter with you." The same Zorua from before trotted over, coming out from around the back of the booth. Meema only just now noticed her unusual markings under her eyes.

"I beg yer pardon?" Meema frowned.

"Do you have something in your ears?" The Zorua's ears wiggled irritably. "I said, what the fuck is the matter with you—"

"Hey, hey! Language!" Meema scolded. "Who let you out of the nest with that kinda talk?"

"Oh, can it! You're not my Meema!" Slide yipped. "I know for damn sure you're not his Meema," she nodded her head towards Ash. "Or any of those three with the Twerp, for that matter. All of them call you Meema. What's up with that!?"

The Zoroark averted eye contact, uncomfortably rubbing her arm. "They, ah… they haven't figured that out, yet."

"Well, it's weird. Y'know? It's fuc-"

"Language!"

"It's friggin' weird," Slide reiterated. "You're in this tournament, ain't cha? Do you really want everyone in the world to call you Mom?" She threw her weight into her words, and sighed.

A creeping, cold realization was crawling up the Zoroark's veins, while the Zorua who'd opened her eyes seemed to have tired of the conversation.

"Look. Do whatever the hell you want, Meema. I've got crimes to commit." Slide turned around, trotting off with her fluffy tail wagging behind her. Her questionable farewell didn't even quite register in the elder fox's mind.

She simply sat there, in the middle of a bustling and noisy street, questioning her existence.

The entire world moved on around her, completely oblivious to the misconceptions she'd woven.

"Meema!"

~Leader!?~ She startled at Ash's voice. Seeing her trainer's face, she eased somewhat.

He was offering her one of those kebabs, with vegetables and something that decidedly wasn't meat but still smelled like it stacked on top of one another. It smelled delicious; she almost bit it right off the skewer. She shook her head. "Aw, c'mon! We talked about your eating habits…"

~No. Thank you. I would like it. But, first… I request that we talk, first.~

"Huh? Yeah, sure." Ash frowned, pulling the food back. "Anything. What's up?"

Peeks gave her his full attention as well. Garchomp and Gliscor, chewing on theirs, did so too.

~I… request to not be called 'Meema,' in front of the crowd, tomorrow.~

"Huh? You don't want me to call you Meema? How come?" Ash asked.

The Zoroark took a deep breath. Pushing the truth to the surface was difficult, particularly against Ash's own decisions. But, this pack communicated without rank. ~Meema isn't my name,~ she admitted. The shock on her pack's face was palpable. ~It is… the Zoro word for mother.~

"What!?"

"You're kidding."

"We been calling ya Ma?"

"Say it ain't so, Mee… uh. Y'know what I mean."

She bowed her head in shame. ~I apologize. Rura must have introduced me as such. I didn't consider it my place at the time to question my role in your pack. If you'd considered me your mother, then…~

"What's your name?" Ash asked.

~Pardon?~

"Your real name. If it ain't Meema, then what is it?"

~...It's Swyn,~ she responded. ~My birth name is Swyn.~

"Well then, Swyn," Ash answered, reaching down to ruffle her mane with a smile. "That's what we're gonna start calling you. And that's the name that all of Kanto is gonna hear!"

"I'd consider us friends again, but I don't think I'm in the territory of calling you Mom," Peeks said, smirking.

"Now, come on. Eat up before your kebab gets cold," Ash chuckled, pushing the food towards her.

Swyn sniffed at the food, before chomping down half of it in one big bite. She felt like she'd nearly left earth, with how flavorful it was. ~Thank you kindly.~

The following morning. At 9 AM sharp, Ash and his friends made their way to the Registration Dome for their fourth and final preliminary round assignment. Ash was accompanied by Dawn, Misty, and Brock, while Max, Koda, May, and Drew had seemingly made it there before them.

"Hey! You guys made it!" May waved to the group. "What took you guys so long?"

"Well, we were going to be here on time, " Misty huffed, yanking on Brock's ear. "But Casanova here decided to do his thing, and wax poetic to the first attractive women we came across."

"Ow, ow!" Brock pried himself away from Misty, rubbing his earlobe. "Okay, but what could've been fifteen seconds of fawning turned into Croagunk having to drag me off."

"Tch!" Croagunk tutted, sitting at Brock's feet. He looked off with a grin.

"Same old Brock." May giggled.

"I should've been there." Max's expression darkened behind gleaming spectacles.

"No, uh… That's fine!" Brock cleared his throat. "You should be focusing on your next round!"

"As a matter of fact, I'm already signed up!" Max boasted, puffing out his chest.

"Same here," Koda nodded. "We're gonna go check out data on our opponents, in a minute, since Poindexter here insists on it."

"Hey, it's worked out for both of us so far," Max argued.

"Well, you got me there," Koda conceded with a shrug.

"Nothing wrong with getting a read on your competition!" Ash said with gusto, pumping a fist. "I wonder if I'll know anything about my opponent." Knowing there was only one way to find out, Ash approached the closest attendant. "Excuse me, Miss! Ash Ketchum here, ready for the next round."

"Oh hello, Ash! It seems your only field left is the forest field," the attendant explained.

"The forest field… Y'know, I've been wondering about that," Ash said. "Didn't it used to be the grass field?"

"Yes, it did! But, the League found it fitting to introduce a little more variety in how the terrain affects the battles at hand, so this is an experimental field! We're hoping to get feedback on how it's received this year."

"It is rather different from the usual grass field," Brock agreed, stepping forward. "You might want to take it into account for which team of three you bring into this, Ash."

Ash nodded in agreement, and pressed the button on the desk. The one field left on his wheel blinked intermittently before slowing to a halt. His face appeared, and then next to him…

"Samurai!?" Ash exclaimed.

"So, he did make it!" Dawn stepped forward, and clapped her hands together, thrilled that her inspirational words had borne fruit.

"What? Him? No way!" Misty exclaimed. "That's the guy who attacked us in Viridian Forest!"

"Attacked you?" Brock quirked a brow. "Not to be rude, but I don't remember this guy at all."

"Did you say Samurai?" May cooed, pushing her way to the front of the group. She smacked her hands down on the desk to lean in for a better look. "Oh, wow! He really does look like a real life samurai! That's so cool!"

"That's kind of strange, don't you think?" Drew asked. "That kind of get-up feels more reminiscent of a Coordinator, or even a Performer."

"The guy's eccentric, that's for sure," Ash laughed. "Excuse me, but did he say anything about where he was headed? I'd love to catch up with the guy before we have to battle!"

"Oh, I believe he said that he would be stopping by the Pokémon Center!" The attendant replied.

"Awesome! Thanks, Ma'am." Ash bowed his head. "Alright, guys. Let's head over there!"

"Oooh, I want to go, too~!" May waved her hand in the air. "I want to see what his deal is in person!"

"Yeah, not like you have a brother you should be supporting or anything," Max muttered sourly.

"Huh? Did you say something, Max?" May turned to her brother, wide-eyed.

"N-nothing!" Max folded his arms. "Do whatever you want. I don't care. I've got a match to win."

"And you totally will~! See you at your match!"

Misty spared the sibling duo an odd look, but there was little time to linger, as she and the rest of Ash's group left for the Pokémon Center, while Mad, Koda, and Drew went their own way.

The Pokémon Center, luckily, wasn't far from registration. Its large indoor lobby was somewhat crowded with trainers, Pokémon, and those accompanying, lively with chatter.

"C'mon… where is he?" Ash grumbled, walking through the large interior. "A guy dressed like that can't be that hard to find."

"Um, Ash?" Dawn poked her boyfriend's shoulder. "That's because he isn't." She pointed towards a long row of video phones, where the armor-clad teenager was facing one.

"There he is!" Ash laughed, running over to greet him. The rest of the group hung back a bit, as to not crowd them. "Hey, Samurai!" He greeted, slapping the back of his armor fraternally.

"Who dares to— Ash!" Samurai let his guard drop when he found his friend to be the one who'd snuck up on him. "Hmph… I'm not sure how you got into my blind spot, but it won't be happening again."

"Yeah, I bet," Ash laughed. He had the chance to look past Samurai, then, spotting another familiar face on the video phone. "Bugsy!?"

"Oh! Hey, Ash!" The Gym Leader waved from his end of the screen. His choppy purple hair had grown out just past shoulder length, and he'd traded his green bug catching outfit for another, sporting a yellow tie. He looked significantly older than when Ash had last seen him. "Man, how long has it been? It's good to see you! And you too, Pikachu!"

"Yeah, you too!" Ash agreed. "This guy goes by Peeks now, by the way," he gestured to his partner. "But hey, what're you doin' talking to Samurai? I didn't know you two knew each other!"

"Oh, he's my protegé," Bugsy explained. "At least, for the last little while."

"I recalled what you told me," Samurai continued, "about seeking wisdom from Gym Leaders. I followed your example and sought out a Bug-type expert. Bugsy is said to be the best in the KanJoh area, so I humbled myself and sought his tutelage!"

"I was already honored to spread the joy and wisdom of working with Bug-types, but when I heard that he was a friend of yours, I couldn't say no!" Bugsy grinned. "I'd love it if I could see the two of you battle there."

"Oh, that's right!" Ash snapped his fingers. "That's actually what I came here to tell you, Samurai. I just got matched up for my fourth round, and guess what? It's you and me, next!"

"Well, well…" Samurai wore a deathly serious scowl, with his eyes hidden by the shadow of his helmet. "In that case…" Samurai reached for his hip, and pivoted on his sandals to draw distance from Ash. In a swift gesture, he pointed his blade towards Ash. "Prepare yourself for a swift defeat, Ash Ketchum!"

"Hey, watch where you're pointing that thing!" Brock exclaimed, pulling Ash back by his shoulder.

"Are you nuts!?" Misty exclaimed.

"That's dangerous!" Dawn scolded.

Cries and hushed whispers of concern echoed throughout the Pokémon Center. But, Samurai didn't budge. Ash, for his part, shrugged Brock's hand away, and stood exactly where he'd been. With a smirk on his lips, he drew a Poké Ball from his belt, pointing it towards Samurai, passing the blade. "If you ask me, Samurai… It's you who should prepare for defeat!"

"As swift and deadly as a Thunderbolt!" Peeks added, pointing his paw at Samurai.

They had to look cool here.

"Oooh, hold still, hold still!" May cooed, sliding over towards Ash and Samurai, her index and pointer fingers held in front of one eye. "Because it's time for the long-awaited return of May's Expeditions!" She winked, turning her 'camera' between Ash and Samurai.

"Today, at the Indigo Plateau Conference, we're bearing witness to a burning rivalry between two old friends, pitted together in a battle to decide who gets to move on towards the gold!" She narrated with zeal, hopping back and forth for different angles. "The bug trainer, Samurai, points a shimmering sword towards his opponent, Ash Ketchum, but he shows no sign of fear! This is bound to be a match for the ages!"

Ash laughed exasperatedly, attempting to maintain his composure. "Same old May."

"Alright, that's it! Break! It! Up!" Nurse Joy clapped her hands from across the room. The Nurse marched towards the gathering of his trainer, wagging a finger at Samurai from a healthy arm's length away. "I don't know what you think you're doing waving a weapon inside of a Pokémon Center, but if you don't put that away this instant, you'll be strictly penalized!"

"...Apologies, Ma'am." Samurai bowed his head, and resheathed his sword.

"Very good then," she huffed. "And, you! She pointed at Ash. "You should know better than to encourage such antics. Our competitors pulling these kinds of stunts could set a bad example for other fledgling trainers!"

"Yes, Ma'am," Ash said, shrinking under her gaze.

"Aha ha ha…" Bugsy laughed uneasily from across the video phone. "At any rate… I look forward to seeing the two of you battle, today! I want to see a real Bug-type brawl!"

"Aha, you've got it!" Ash agreed, flashing a thumbs-up.

Samurai smiled and nodded. "You will witness nothing less than that!"

"And here we are, for the next match of the fourth stage of the preliminaries, before moving on to the final rounds! Taking place on the Forest Battlefield is a clash between Pride of Pallet, Ash Ketchum, and the rising underdog with a knack for insects; Samurai!"

Upon stepping onto the lift for the green trainer's box, Ash was treated to the site of today's terrain that he and his first ever proper opponent would be utilizing today. The mechanical whirrs of the hydraulics working under his feet were like music to his ears. A familiar buzz that made his heart race, because they were associated with only one thing — a thrilling battle to come.

The elevator stopped without the sudden shudder he remembered from his first league competition; Ash could only imagine that, with all the talk of the Indigo League getting its act together, their facilities were in better working order. Then again, that was the last thing he should be thinking about, right now.

"The forest field looks a lot larger up close," Peeks spoke in Ash's ear, rousing his attention.

Ash took in the wooded terrain before him. Trees canopied over a majority of the drawn terrain, and bushes dotted the open grassy paths he could make out from above. His elevated standing allowed him a better view into the brush than most, but it still didn't go far.

"It does. But, how're we supposed to see the battle from here? It's mostly closed off."

"Don't look at me. You're the one with the closest thing to x-ray vision," Peeks countered.

"...I do have that, don't I?" Ash's eyes snapped open with his new epiphany.

"What would you do without me?" Peeks asked, before their conversation was cut short.

"For the benefit of both competitors and any audience members who haven't seen a battle on this field thus far, I would like to turn your attention to the monitor overlooking the battlefield!"

Ash, Peeks, Samurai, and their audience did as told.

The board that, up until now, displayed Ash and Samurai's faces on each side, along with their three empty slots for their Pokémon, flashed to a different visual entirely. A variety of shots within the forest field alternated on screen. "The forest field has a multitude of cameras installed throughout, which activate on a motion sensor to display one or both competitors' Pokémon when they're nearby! You'll want to keep your eyes on the display as much as the battlefield itself, for this one! We apologize for any missed action in the meantime, but that just adds to the unpredictability of Pokémon battles, doesn't it!?"

"Well, that's new," Ash muttered under his breath. "And we can't even see Samurai."

"For the sake of this unique field, the trainer boxes have been equipped with microphones, to amplify the voice of our challengers! Although that also means that any errant conversations between one of them and their Pikachu can be heard loud and clear by our audience! So, be mindful of that, challengers, before we begin!"

"Uh…? Oh." Ash's face fell into a deadpan expression, as laughter rolled in from the crowds. His face felt hot with embarrassment, but he waved sheepishly to their audience, nonetheless.

On the other end of the field, in the green challenger's box, Samurai smirked to himself, hiding his amusement behind the back of his hand. "You both are as eccentric as ever, Ash and Peeks. But, I do hope that you intend to take our battle seriously!"

Although they couldn't see their foe, they could hear him, Ash found, confirming what he'd heard. "Of course we are! Don't expect anything less than our best."

"Anything less would be shameful!" Samurai countered.

"It seems our challengers agree! And with that, I believe it's time to see their Pokémon!"

"Alright…! Then, I choose you!" Ash pitched his first Poké Ball towards the forestry.

A flash escaped the capsule, taking the form of a large, hulking Garchomp. They lunged into the forest ahead of them, standing fierce and battle-ready. Their visage appeared on the monitor.

"Forretress! Lead our path to victory!" Samurai did the same. Within short order, the Bagworm Pokémon appeared on the screen as well, turning the monitor into a split screen between them.

"A Forretress, huh…?" Ash muttered, before realizing that his words were being broadcast. He hadn't seen Samurai with them before. He only knew that Brock's was prone to exploding. Would that be something to watch out for? He'd have to figure it out on the fly, because…!

The referee raised both of their flags from the sidelines. "You may begin!"

"Forretress! Use Spikes!" Samurai made the first call. As he did, the small red cannons adorning the Pokémon's midsection spun, firing off a barrage of light projectiles in Garchomp's direction.

The Spikes didn't target him, however, instead sinking into the field and foliage around him.

"Samurai opens the battle with Spikes! A field hazard that will bring Ash trouble if he decides to switch Pokémon at any time! Samurai may be playing the long game, here!"

"So, that's your game. Well, sorry to disappoint ya, but we're not keen to turn tail and run!" Ash claimed, as he threw an energetic hand forward. "Use Flamethrower!"

Roaring flames fired from Garchomp's mouth at once.

"Dodge it, Forretress!" Samurai urged.

The Bug-type's escape was very narrow; so narrow that their discomfort showed in their squinting on the monitor, but an escape nonetheless. "Now, retreat!" Doing as he was told, Forretress zipped out of range, and launched off into the maze of trees the way they'd come.

"Ooh! Forretress narrowly dodges what could've been a finishing blow for a hasty retreat; getting away with that set of Spikes, scott-free!"

"Follow after them!" Ash ordered. Garchomp was quick to follow orders, lunging into the nearest tree before gliding to the next to scour for their fleeing opponent.

"Continue to lay your Spikes, Forretress! Evasive maneuvers!" Samurai called from the other end. As the commentator remarked on his hazardous strategies, he kept a close eye on the monitor, where Garchomp intermittently appeared on shifting cameras, while Forretress mostly avoided attention.

'Curious… Garchomp is simply lunging from tree to tree, instead of using their speed. I suppose gliding above the trees would even further obscure Forretress. Though there's no reason he couldn't simply have Garchomp set the forest ablaze… Is a scorched earth tactic too brutal for a sporting battler like Ash?' Samurai narrowed his eyes in thought, watching Garchomp's chase.

Searching for Forretress was easier from an aerial view. That was what Garchomp's instincts inferred, and he trusted them, lunging from branch to branch with surprisingly limber reflexes.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted the Bagworm, setting another layer of Spikes. Some seeped into the dirt and grass below, while others clung to trees, wedged in the bark.

Evidently, Ash was keeping up on the monitor. His voice rang out. "Use Flamethrower!"

HIs Pokémon responded in kind, dousing Forretress in flames from above.

"Use Rapid Spin!" Samurai's voice echoed. Forretress began to spin like a top, repelling the flames that came just short of scorching him. Fire fanned off and away from the Pokémon, repelled by rapidly accelerating winds.

"Oooh! Forretress repels that Flamethrower with a Rapid Spin! What a novel defense!"

"Not bad," Ash muttered, smirking. "Drop the heat, and use Night Slash, now!"

Garchomp lunged from the tree, striking at Forretress with a black streak from his claw. Forretress spun out of the way, however, miraculously darting out of range.

"Is it just me, or did Forretress just get faster?" Peeks thought aloud.

"What's this!? I don't believe I've ever seen a Garchomp using Night Slash… But, what's even more curious is Forretress moving too fast for even a Garchomp to tag!"

"So Rolando wasn't the only one to pick that up," Ash muttered.

"Hubris doesn't suit the new you, Ash Ketchum!" Samurai scolded from across the stage. "You should know that a defensive Bug-type such as Forretress needs the extra speed! We've trained hard to propel our tactics to new heights! Now, evasive maneuver, Forretress! Continue to use your Spikes!"

"Follow them, and keep up your Flamethrower!" Ash coached in return. He had no time to dwell on Samurai's ingenuity — they had a battle to win!

In the meantime, flames roared, sparking branches and scorching patches of grass in a futile pursuit of Forretress. Garchomp's chase continued on the monitor, while glimmers of Spikes could be seen in the backdrop.

"Garchomp are agile flyers," Samurai said, "but crowded forests favor their natural inhabitants!"

"Are you going to look for their Aura?" Peeks asked. Radiant orange, and the faint glow of Spikes peeked through the dense forestry. But, it was hardly enough to keep stock of their location.

~Nah.~ Ash replied telepathically. ~It's one thing to stay in touch with my Pokémon. But, Samurai can't use Aura to watch everything at once, either. It don't want an unfair advantage!~

He'd just have to trust his Pokémon and their fighting sense.

"Forretress continues to evade Garchomp, and lay Spikes in their wake! I can't say I've ever seen that one move be used in such succession, folks!"

"It's strange…" Brock cupped his chin with his thumb, frowning at the monitor.

"Huh? What's strange?" May asked, turning to Brock in the stands.

"Spikes is a nasty entry hazard that deals damage to a new Pokémon switching into battle. But, if you stack more than three uses of the move on top of each other, they tend to become too cluttered and explode on their own. But, Samurai's not just leaving traps for new Pokémon."

"It looks like he's leaving traps for Ash's Pokémon, no matter where they go," Drew finished.

Red-hot flames missed their target once more, kindling a thick fog of smoke. The Mach Pokémon hunched over, scanning their immediate surroundings for any suspicious movement.

So far, nothing. He sniffed at the air, and slowly skulked through the inky veil. Nothing seemed out of place but scorched leaves… until a rustling hit his ear. He stalked closer to the nearby brush, where there was a small break in the shrubbery. Golden eyes narrowed.

…The gap in the leaves wasn't nearly large enough to be a Forretress.

Murmurs of discontent ran through the audience, as the black veil left in the wake of Flamethrower left the events transpiring within the woods completely impossible to see. Even the monitor returned to displaying Ash and Samurai's faces, with nothing worth observing on screen. The match was a mystery.

While restless boredom brewed in the stands, though, Ash felt a greater sense of anticipation. 'C'mon… I trust that nose of yours, but you're walking through a landmine, right now. Watch it.'

A deafening blast jolted Ash from his thoughts. He gasped.

"Ooh! It sounds like the Spikes have gone off! Never let it be said again that they can only be used as entry hazards, folks!"

Garchomp hung back from the burning bush, letting a guttural growl slip past their maw. They'd only just narrowly backed away from the explosion in time, before being put on-guard again.

"Forrestress! Use U-Turn, now!"

The smoke split. Forretress came flying through, smashing all of their weight into Garchomp's side. The Mach Pokémon, strangely, howled, recoiling as the Bagworm launched off of them to bounce back towards his trainer.

"You're not gettin' away that easy!" Ash shouted from the trainer's box. "Pursuit! Now!"

A crimson blur descended upon Forretress. The bagworm found his tough shell pinned against the nearest tree trunk, held in place by razor sharp claws. The predatory eyes they stared into were no longer golden, but an icy blue.